Automatic tire inflater



Oct. 1, 193 5. O G, BREWER I 2,015,882

' AUTOMATIC TIRE INFLATER Filed June 12, 1934 i AZ 24 44 a I 33 49 f' 6 /7 V. v 6? J0 8 Q i a E i l 1 43 37 k 5 /.6 6.5

Elnmnmr BE I 1 I fee I Patented 1, 1935 2 "UNITED STATES- PATENT. o

, This invention aims to provide a novel means whereby the tire on a vehicle wheel may be inflated automatically, or at the will of anoperator.

' The invention aims to provide a'novel combination and arrangement of valves whereby the result above mentioned maybe brought about,

Anotherobject of the inventionis to provide novel means for adjusting orient the valve springs. A further object of the-invention is to sup-'- my novel means whereby the pressure in the tire may be varied, at the will of an operator.-

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains. a v

-With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in'the precise embodiment 'of' the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

, Fig.1 shows in longitudinalsection, a device constructed in accordance with the some parts being in elevation;

V invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a rear end elevation;

I Fig. 4 is a fragmental transverse section showing one parts;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing one of the adot the cylinder heads and attendant justing devices for one of the springs;

Fig; 6 is an elevation showing another of the adjusting devices for the springl'ast above mentioned.

For convenience in locating the parts of the device, relatively to each other, that'end of the.

structure to which the reference character Aiis applied in Fig; 1 will be considered the forward end.

.The article comprises a body 'I, supplied at its \forward-end with an air inlet nipple, 2, adapted to be connected to a tank or other source of fluid. pressure supply (not shown). The air inlet nipple 2 has a longitudinal bore 8, communicating BIS a flattened, inwardly prolonged projection 8,

shown in Fig. 4. The cylinder 4 is closed atf its opposite end by a head I, threaded into the I.

A rod or operating member 8 slides in the head 1 and is accessible at its outerend, the outer end of the member-8 carrying a push button 9 'Near to its outer end, the'rod; 8 is provided with a shoulder 48. A firstpiston valve In slides in the 5 cylinder 4 and is secured to the rod 8. The inner portion of the piston valve I8 is adapted to close the bore 3 of the air inlet nipple 2. The inner end of the rod 8 of the piston valve III has a slot I I (Fig. 4) receivingthe projection 6 on the head 10 5. The parts II and 6 constitute interenga 'ing elements preventing a rotation 01 the piston valve III, as it slides in thecylinder 4. Near to one end, the'piston valve III has a circumferential chamber or p'ort |2.. Inwardly of the port I2, 1

the piston valve III has .a transverse port I4, which may be a circumferential groove. There is a longitudinal duct IS in the outer portion of the piston valve III, establishing communication between the chamber I2 and that part of the cyllnder4 which. lies between the outer end of the piston I II and the head I. Theshoulder 48 on the piston rod 8 is held in engagement with the head I by a compression spring I6,'interpose'd between the piston III and the head 5, the inner. portion of 28 -the piston valve III closing the bore 8 of the air inlet nipple], and the outer end of, the piston valve being spaced from the head I. In the rear edge of the inner part of the piston valve III there is a notch 11.

' A first valve seat I8 is formed inthebody I, to the rear of the cylinder 4. An abutment I9 projects from the body I into the valve seat I8. A small longitudinal bore 20 connects the first valve 1 seat I8 with the cylinder 4. A lateral exhaust 85 port 2| isformed-in the body I, immediately to the rear of the cylinder 4. Both the port 2|. and

the bore 28 are so located that they communicate with the notch H in the piston III. A second valve seat 22 is formed in the body I, to therear 40 of the first valve seat I8. The valve seats 22 and I8 are connected'by an enlarged by-pass 23.

. A main transverse pressure chamber 24 is fashioned in the body I, and the'valve seat 22 communicates with the pressure chamber. A small longitudinal'passage connects the pressure chamber 24 with the cylinder 4 and opens into the chamber I2 of the piston II. The pressure chamber 24 communicates with the bore 25 of an outwardly and 'rearwardly extended nipple 26. The nipple 26 is adapted to'be connected with the tire (not shown) which is to be inflated.

' In the rear part of the body I, there is a longitudinal second cylinder 21 having-a seat 28 at its. forward end, the seat and-the cylinder 21 com- 68 municating at 29 with the main pressure chamber 24. The body 2| is supplied with a side nip- 5 is adapted to be closed by a second piston valve 32, having a tapered part 49 for engagement with the seat 28, the part 49 having a reduced end 33 that fits in the opening 29 leading to the pressure chamber 24. On its rear end, the piston valve 32 is suppliedwith a projection 34, about which, is engaged a compression spring 35, abutting at one end against the piston valve 32. The piston valve 32 carries a central longitudinal guide rod 59, providedwith an abutment 5|.

the abutment |9 on the body The relief valve 52 is adapted to enter and close the first valve seat l8 and the second valve seat22. A compression spring 53 surrounds a part of the guide rod 59. One end of the's pring 53 engages the abutment 5|, and the opposite end of the spring engages the valve 52. Thereis a stop 54 on the guide rod 59, between the abutment 5| and the valve 52.

The rear end of the spring 35 is engaged by a foot 35 on an adjusting device 31, such as a screw, having a turning head 38. The head 39 has a forwardly extended finger 39. The adjusting screw 31 is threaded into a tubular second adjusting device 49. On the outer end of the second adjusting device 49fthere is a hub 43 carrying a lateral arm 4| having 'a rearwardly extended handle 42. The finger 39 on the head 38 of the screw 31 is adapted to be engaged by the arm 4| of the second adjusting device 49.

The second adjusting device 49 is threaded into a closure 44 which, in its turn, is threaded into the body i, and is fixed therein, at the rear end of the cylinder 21. The closure 44 comprises a disk 45 which bears against the rear end of the body I. wardly extended stop 45, adapted to cooperate ,with the arm 4| on the second adjusting device 49. A circumferential low pressure scale 41 is inscribed on the rear surface of the disk 45. A circumferential high pressure scale 56 is inscribed on the rear surface of the head 39 of the adjusting screw 31.

In practical operation, if the pressure in the tire that is connected to the nipple'28 is not sufiicient to advance the first piston valve l9, that valve is advanced manually by the rod 8 and the push button 9, against the action of the spring l6, until the port H in the piston valve registers with the bore 3 of the inlet nipple 2 and with the small bore 29 of the body If, v however, there is sufiicient pressure in the tire, that pressure passes through the bore 25 of the nipple 26, through the passage ofthe body I, into the chamber l2 of the piston valve I9,, and through the duct i5, into the space between-the cylinder head 1 and the outer end of the piston valve, the piston valvebeing advanced, against A relief valve 52. slides on the guide 59 and is adapted to engage;

Thedisk 45 is provided with a rearl9. the small bore 29 of the body I, the valve the action of the spring i6, until the port |4 regseat la, the enlarged by-pass 23, the second valve seat 22, the pressure chamber 24 and the bore 25 of the nipple 25, and air passes into the tire, to inflate the same, the direction of flow of the air being reversed, because the pressure in the bore 3 isv greater than the pressure in the bore 25.

when the predetermined pressure has been at"- tained in the tire connected to the nipple 26, the pressure derived through the bore 3 of the inlet nipple 2, the port I 4 of the piston valve ID, the 10 bore 29, the seat iii, the by-pass 23, the port 22 and the chamber 24, is transmitted to the second piston valve 32, and that valve moves to the right, opening the relief port 3|. As the second piston valve 32 moves to the right, the guide rod 59 and the stop 54 thereon move to the right, and because the valve 52 no longer is backed up by the stop 54, the flowing air, acting by impact, causes the .valve 52 to slide to the right on the guide rod 59, and close the valve seat 22, the supply of fiuid pressure to the chamber 24 being cut ofi. The second valve 32 now closes to the left, responsive to the spring 35, but the valve 32 has lag enough so that, before it shuts 01f the relief port 3|, a venting action through the duct 5, the chamber |2 of the first piston [9, the passage 55, the chamber 24 and the relief port 3| takes place. The time interval is so short, and the reduction of pressure is so small considered rela- 'tively to the strength of the spring l6, that the loss of pressure in the tire connected to the nipple 26 does not amount to anything in practice. The piston valve I9, responding to the spring i6, now resumes the position of Fig. 1, and closes the fluid pressure inlet 3. As the piston valve l9 resumes the position of Fig. 1, the valve seat |8 is is vented through the bore 29, the notch l1 in the first piston valve l9, and the exhaust port 2|,

'and the valve 52 slides to the left on the guide 49, by way of the handle 42, and because the arm 50 4| on the second adjusting device 49 is in en-. gagement with the finger 39 on'the head 39 of the first adjusting device or screw 31, the screw 31 will move with the second adjusting device 49, during the aforesaid rotation thereof. If, how- 55 ever, high pressure is desired, that is, if it is a sought to increase the compressive effort of the spring 35, over and above the result secured by rotating the second adjusting device 49, this can be done by rotating the screw 31, by means of the 60 head 38, the foot 36 being advanced accordingly. The scale 41 on the disk 45 of the closure 44, cooperating with the arm 4| on the second adjusting device 49, indicates with suihcient accuracy, the degree of low pressurethat has been attained, 5 When the screw or first adjusting device 31 is rotated to secure high pressure adjustment, the dial or scale 56 on the head'3B of the screw, 00- operating with the arm 4| on the second adjusting device 49, will give the necessary high pres- 70 which is an inlet, the opposite 'end 24--25 of 76 3i communicating with the outlet 24-", a first valve III in the body I and interposed in the conduit, adjacent to the inlet 3, spring means It for operating the first valve It to close the conduit, means 55 for conducting pressure from the outlet 2425 to the first valve it, to operate the first valve and open the conduit, a relief valve 52 in the body I and located in the conduit, between the first valve Ill and the outlet 24-", spring means II for seating the relief valve '2 toward the first valve i'il, thereby enabling pressure to passthrough the conducting means I! and open the first valve Ill, the relief valve I2 opening away-from the first valve ll, responsive to pressure admitted to the conduit by the opening of the first valve In, another valve-l2 in the body I, spring means I! for operating said other valve 32 to cause it to close the relief port ll,

said other valve}! responding to a predetermined pressure in the outlet 242I, toopen the relief port ii, the relief valve 52 seating toward the outlet 24-25 as the pressure fluid flows through the conduit from the inlet! to the outlet 24-",

and means IHI carried by said, other valve 32 fbr holding the relief valve l2 against seating toward the outlet fl-iluntil said other valve 32 has moved to open the relief port ll.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device for inflating vehicle tires, a body provided with a fluid pressure conduit, one end of which is an inlet? the opposite end of which is an outlet, the body having a relief port communicating with the outlet, a first valve in the Y body and interposed in the conduit, adjacent to the inlet, spring means for'operating the first ,valveto close the conduit,-means for conducting pressure ff'Oll'Lthe outlet'to the first valve, to

operate the first valve and open the conduit, a relief valve in the body and located in the conduit, between the first valve and the outlet, spring means for seating the relief valve toward the first valve, thereby enabling pressure to pass through the conducting means and open the first valve, the relief valve opening away from the first valve,

responsive, to pressure admitted to the conduit by the opening of the first valve, another valve in the body, spring means for operating said other valve to cause it to close the relief port, said relief valve seating toward the-outlet as the pressure fluid flows through the conduit from the inlet to the outlet, and means carried by said 5 other valve for holding the relief valve against seating toward the outlet until said other valve has moved to open the relief port. 7

2. A device for inflating vehicle tires, constructed as set forth in claim 1, and further character- 10 ized by the provision of means under the control of an operator for actuating the first valve to cause it .to open the conduit.

3. A device for inflating vehicle tires, con structed as set forth in claim 1, and further charl5 acterized by the fact that the body has an exhaust port communicating with that part of the conduit which lies between the first valve and the relief alve, the first valve closing the exhaust port wh the first valve is in position to open so the conduit, the first valve having means for opening the exhaust port when the first valve is in position to close the conduit.

4. A device for inflating vehicle tires, constructed as set forth in claim 1, and wherein the 25 means carried by said other valve for holding" the relief valve against'seating toward the outin closed relation with respect to the relief port.

5. A device for inflating vehicle tires, con- 85 structed as set forth in claim 1, in combination with mechanism for adjusting the spring means for operating said other valve, said mechanism comprising an outer member threaded into the body, an inner member threaded into the outer 40 member and provided with a foot engaging said spring means, and interengaging parts on the inner and outer members, whereby, when the outer member is rotated, the inner member will be rotated also, said interengagins, parts having a separable relation with respect to each other, whereby the inner member may be rotated independently of the outer member.

oscsn G. BREWER. 5 

